I didn't cry until Molly and Arthur showed up after Ginny died to comfort Harry, and then I couldn't stop.

I really like the interaction of Harry with Dumbledore, and Harry's new-found but hard-maintained maturity, with the occasional, realistic backsliding. I thought the character of Bandhit was interesting, but waffled between being really important for introducing certain concepts and themes, and being underused. I wonder if you could have worked those concepts in through Hermione or Luna or even a textbook, or a letter from Dumbledore, instead of building a character as a vehicle for them.

It almost feels like you are telling two separate stories: the spiritual story, and the physical battle. While I think those halves could have meshed a little better, I thought each part was well done.

I liked how the students were not stupidly overpowered or 100 percent successful, but varied between cautious and daring approaches that mostly worked with (acceptable-on-paper) casualty rates. I like that the younger students weren't used for combat, but for combat support. I loved the utilization of music and song.

I thought the reason Madame Pomfrey was still at Hogwarts was because she saw the infirmary as her home, the place where she ought to be. The other faculty didn't see Hogwarts as home, however important in their lives. For Dumbledore, it makes sense to me he was trapped as Number 12 because his role as leader of the war trumped his role as leader of the school. (Hence in PS/SS he placed a valuable war resource in the school as a trap to lure his enemy and thereby endangered the vulnerable students, had Tom chosen to imperious them to test the traps, or just kill or abuse/obliviate/repeat for the fun of it. It *could* have happened. Dumbledore had no way of knowing how Tom had been psychologically effected by everything. But even if Tom hadn't changed, he couldn't be 100 percent predicted anyway.)

(Likewise, Dumbledore should have shut down the school to protect the students instead of responding with a siege/wartime mentality in CoS. At the very least he should have purchased Mandrake Potion to wake the victims up timely instead of relying solely on school resources. And keep the parents informed and give them the choice to pull their kids out. Just my humble opinion.)

I liked this. You had lots of clever ideas (the radios, the bond, the actual plot).

It does seem to jump around a bit, sometimes landing the reader in a scene or situation and making them work out just what is going on (not always that difficult, but jarring and confusing). Chapter breaks might have helped. And I’m not sure the Dursley business makes complete sense, but I rolled with it.

I really liked Ginny in this, and I’m not usually very keen on her various portrayals- -even canon.

Thanks for sharing.

Dumbledore's message was lovely, very inspiring.

The Beowulf reference seemed almost overdone by the time I got to the quote, what with him going out versa dragon. Annoyed me heartily that I couldn't tell which word of Indra's speech had changed.

Guess what I'm trying to say is, that was brilliant.

This story was a great read. I like how the experiences our gang survived was really utalized.

I don't think all Slytherins are evil. That's like branding 1/4 of brittish wizarding population but that is neither here nor there.

I really enjoied the indurring friendships.

Thanks so much for an awesome story! I had always loved the Flourish and Blotts Hour story, and it occurred to me today that maybe you had posted the completed story somewhere other than Phoenix Song. I'm glad I found this, but I would also love to see a Siege of Hogwarts that was compliant with F&B.

Also, I noticed that no one mentioned any pupkins!

You know, for a story as good as this, it sure has a small amount of reveiws. I think it does this injustice. but nice work if you ask me. keep up whatever else your working on.

give fair warning that ginnys gonna die! i feel sad now.. im not reading this anymore.. im going to go cry.. lol

one thing i want to point out, ravana didnt actually have 10 heads. he was gifted with immortality; which meant if someone attempted to cut off his head, it would fall off and another would grow back. the only was to kill him was to pierce his navel with an arrow; and ram cut off nine heads before shooting him in the stomach, so ravana died with his tenth head.

sry, but little details bother me. im an indian, so i know the story very well. and it should be "Dhyaan" not "Dhayan". in hindi (and sanskrit) three to four consonants can be placed next to each other without breaking off into syllables.

but otherwise, i love this story!

Dang, this was a good story. I wouldn't of minded a little more aftermath, and Ginny's death was tragic...made me tear up. That is a sign of a great writer. Look forward to reading your other works.

please.

please, please, PLEASE.

Please write the alternate ending.

please.

I'm going to tell people about this story. it's too good not to pass around.

This is a wonde3rful story and oneof my favorites. you write extremely well and you r beta's pretty great. thanks for a thoroughly lovely read.

A truly brilliant story. Well written in an excellent style and initially well paced. it is a pity you rushed it. I like the use of music as a deliberate dramatic cue.

please tell when your extended version comes out

This is an *excellent* story. You deserve so many more than just 20 reviews! I think your story must have been hidden in the sheer volume of work that's here on fanfiction dot net.

Actually, I'm not sure why/how I got the e-mail notifications for your story ... if this was the first one under your author's profile here, how then was I able to set you up in my 'author alert' list? Which I remember doing, right after I finished the F&B Hour over on phoenixsong.

Anyway. Brilliant story, with a real unique style/flavour to it. I kept on thinking 'James Blish' ... several times I felt a distinct resonance between the flow of your writing and books of his that I've read.

When I read the first couple of chapters, the gung-ho military organisation that the kids had formed in their sixth year, I wasn't sanguine about the outcome of this tale; I was afraid that it would turn out to be yet another sloppy Army!Harry story. But, of course, you wrote something so much better than that. Really unique attacks and solutions, twists that were innovative and clever.

I think the device which kept all the adults away was a little sloppy, a bit of a contrivance ... for example, why was it the teachers were only able to bust out near the end? I've obviously forgotten. It seems difficult to grasp that all of them, from Dumbledore down, were kept locked up for 9 months. Still, you had to have the kids on their own somehow.

It's unfortunately not often these days that I pick up a story that I find I can't put down, but this was one of them. Always good when that happens.

I don't particularly like canon!Ginny - and I think I have reasonable grounds for that dislike - but I liked the Ginny you portrayed here in this story, even if she did happen to conveniently be almost too good to be true (second-most powerful, deep understanding of Harry (that's Hermione's territory, that is!), etc). But nothing that marred my enjoyment of your tale. And I certainly appreciated the H/G relationship that you portrayed and the sacrifice she made in the end.

I *know* I've read about Harry's attempted mutual take-out at Grimmauld Place before ... was that referenced in your F&B Hour?

Nice touch, Ron's talk to Harry as his 'best mate'.

Nice little epilogue, although I'm disappointed that Harry met such an early death. Still, "unofficial but universally acknowledged leader of the wizarding world" sounds just about right :-).

This is a really great story, thoroughly enjoyable. I look forward to the 'expanded' format on phoenixsong! Thank you for this early version.